Sunday, January 30, 2011

Cramster

The Math 20 textbook is well-written, and students can purchase a student's solutions manual with step-by-step answers to the odd-numbered problems.  Since the textbook itself has the answers for odd-numbered problems, in most of my classes a few students by the solutions manual and these gets shared within study groups.

Higher level math classes often do not have the solutions manual option, to help students see step-by-step answers to problems that confuse them.  Recently a website that fills this need, named Cramster, has become popular among some LCC students in Math 111-112 and Math 253-255.

Rumor says that for paying a $10 fee, the website provides step-by-step solutions to even-numbered problems also.  If true, that would make more work for those math instructors who currently make tests out of the even-numbered problems.  To me, this option seems a lose-lose situation: the students should be learning enough from the dozens of odd-numbered problems, and the tests will only become harder if the instructors are inventing problems instead of using textbook even-numbered problems.

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